The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town
by ShadowofaHeart
Summary: God save the outcasts.
1. Movie Night

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 1: Movie Night

Roxas and Xion were sitting on the couch in the Castle That Never Was' rec room, watching as Axel attempted to find a good Disney movie for them to watch. The day had been the normal one of Heartless missions and ice cream on the Clock Tower, but they had finished quite early. It was still noon when they were on the Clock Tower! So Axel had suggested watching a movie, to which they agreed. Unfortunately, they couldn't decide on a video.

"What about … _Pete's Dragon_?" asked Axel.

Roxas shook his head. "I'm not too fond of dragons, Axel. Especially after that weird dream..."

Xion nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that dream was pretty creepy..."

"Okay, no dragons. So I guess _Sleeping Beauty_ is out as well?"

"Yes."

"Alright. How about _The Emperor's New Groove_?"

"We've seen that one too many times," Xion said. They usually watched that movie when she was upset, to cheer her up.

Roxas joined Axel and picked up a strange looking movie. "What's this? _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_?"

The red head looked over. "Oh, that's a pretty good one. A _lot _ of death and fire, though. If Xi can handle it, maybe we could-"

"Whaddya mean, **if** I can handle it?" Xion protested. "I can handle it! I'll prove it! Put it on!"

Axel raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, then. _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_ it is. Rox, go join Xi on the couch, and I'll turn the movie on."

"K!"

Axel turned on the TV and changed the settings to VCR. He placed the video in and pressed play. That's when...

"AXEL! TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF! MY EARS ARE DYING!"

"IT'S TOO LOUD! TURN IT OFF, AXEL! OH, MY EARDRUMS!"

"I'M TRYING! I'M TRYING!"

The red head had forgotten to turn down the volume, and the screen had suddenly turned to static, making the Nobodies cover their ears and yell at each other. Mainly at Axel.

"There, I turned it off!" he said triumphantly after he had pressed the power button.

"I wonder what's wrong with it," said Roxas.

"Meh, who knows? This things older than Vexen and Xigbar combined. I'll go get the Superior and see if he can fix it. Be right back!"

* * *

"Number VIII, I am no computer genius, but did you even think about turning on the VCR?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Oh..."

"..."

"...Oops..."

Xemnas sighed in exasperation. "Well, it should work now. Try it."

Roxas and Xion covered their ears in preparation, but the static never came. Instead, the classic _When You Wish Upon A Star_ Disney tune turned on, indicating the start of the movie.

"Thanks, Superior!" said Numbers XIII and XIV.

The man said nothing as he left them to watch their movie. Once Axel had settled on the couch next to them, Roxas chuckled.

"What?" asked Number VIII.

"I can't believe you forgot to turn on the VCR, that's all."

Xion giggled with him. "And you call _us_ dumb."

"Oh shut up and watch the movie."

* * *

**(A/N: Okay, confusing Intro is confusing. Basically, I wanted ideas for a new Fan Fiction, so I tried to watch a Disney movie. Yerp, Axel is me. I'm an idiot sometimes. Anywho, the next chapters will be the movie itself, changed to Kingdom Hearts characters and twisted by me with FanFic magic! Hope you enjoyed!**

**Vanitas: R+R or I'll kill you in the Dead of Night. :D**

**Vanitas! Sorry, sorry, I'll try to control him! *Sweatdrops**

**Sora: _Please~_ R+R!)**


	2. Man or Monster?

**(A/N: Okay, it took me FOREVER to think of how to get this from script version to story version. Not easy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't want ta. No. Not gonna.**

…

**I don't own The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney, Kingdom Hearts, or any of that shiz.**

…

**BUT I DO OWN THE IDEA!**

**Singing: Italics. Use common sense.**

**Bold: Most likely it's Sora talking. Again, use common sense. Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 2: Man or Monster?

In the Town Square of Twilight Town, a young boy around fifteen was entertaining some children with his puppets. The boy had spiky, messy, gravity-defying brown hair and sapphire blue eyes which twinkled with mischief. On his head, flattening some of the spikes of hair, he wore a jester's hat. His clothes consisted of the normal jester's outfit, complete with the shoes. His face was partially hidden due to the purple mask he wore. He grinned at the children, then began to sing:

"_Morning in Paris, the city awakes, to the bells of Twilight Town. The Fisherman fishes, the Bakerman bakes, to the bells of Twilight Town. To the big bells as loud as the thunder. To the little bells soft as a psalm. And some say the soul of the city's the toll of the bells. The bells of Twilight Town."_

"Listen," he said, putting a hand to his ear, "They're beautiful, no? So many colors of sounds, so many changing moods. Because, you know, they don't ring all by themselves."

He pulled out a puppet that looked exactly like him. He spoke in chibi voice for it: "They don't?"

"No, silly boy," he said back to the puppet. "Up there, high, high in the dark bell tower, lives the mysterious bell ringer. Who is this creature?"

"Who?"

"What is he?"

"What?"

"How did he come to be there?"

"How?"

The jester seemed to just now notice the puppet repeating him. He smacked it with a small stick. "Hush!" he repromanded.

"Ohhh..." it muttered, rubbing its head.

"And Sora will tell you. It is a tale, a tale of a man and a monster!"

* * *

_**Twenty or so Years Ago**_

It was a dark night. A band of gypsies were quietly proceeding down the Seine, a river that led into Twilight Town, hoping to avoid detection. Two men, a woman, and her baby.

_Dark was the night when our tale was begun on the docks near Twilight Town._

They were doing fine, until the baby in the woman's arms began to cry.

"Shut it up, will you!" whispered back one of the men to the woman.

"We'll be spotted!" whispered the other.

"Hush, little one!" the mother desperately said, attempting to quiet the saddened child.

_Four frightened gypsies slid silently under the docks near Twilight Town._

They met the boatman and paid him as he muttered, "Four munny for four gypsies and safe passage into Twilight Town."

_But a trap had been laid for the gypsies, and they gazed up in fear and alarm, at a figure whose clutches were iron as much as the bells..._

One of the men saw him first and said, unbelieving, "Judge Xemnas!"

..._The bells of Twilight Town._

_ Judge Xemnas longed to purge the world of vice and sin, and he saw corruption everywhere except within._

Xemnas, a dark, tan man with pulled-back white hair and amber eyes sat atop a pitch black horse. He wore a black cloak, black pants, and black gloves. "Bring these gypsy vermin to the Castle that Never Was," he spat.

The woman tried to hide the baby, fearing its death if found. A guard with long, black dreadlocks and violet eyes spotted her. "You there! What are you hidng?"

Xemnas rolled his eyes. "Stolen goods, no doubt. Take them from her."

"**She Ran!**"

The woman sped through the dirty streets, trying to escape her pursuer. Xemnas followed her on his horse. She at last reached the doors of the Clock Tower of Twilight Town and pounded on them.

"Sanctuary! Please give us sanctuary!" she cried. If you claimed sanctuary in the Clock Tower, no one could harm you as long as you stayed there. Her cries were not heard.

Xemnas had caught up by this time on the steps that led to the Tower. He ripped the still covered bundle from her arms and kicked her, sending her crashing to the cement steps, where she was knocked unconscious. The baby yet again began to cry.

"A baby?" Xemnas wondered, puzzled. He uncovered the baby's head, and was repulsed. "A monster!" he corrected himself.

He looked around, searching for a way to dispose of the creature. He saw a well, and rode over to it. He was about to drop the baby down the well to its doom when a voice shouted out.

"Stop!"

"**Cried the Archdeacon.**"

The archdeacon was a small mouse named Mickey. He was black and white with huge round ears and a small, thin tail. He wore white gloves, huge yellow shoes, and a red jumpsuit with a red jacket. He glared at Xemnas.

"This is an unholy demon," said Xemnas matter-of-factly. "I'm sending it back to Hell, where it belongs!"

Mickey observed the woman lying on the cement steps. He closed his eyes, acknowledging her death. He then glared again at Xemnas.

"_See there the innocent blood you have spilt on the steps of Twilight Town."_

"I am guiltless: she ran, I pursued." Not a trace of guilt was in his face nor his voice.

"_Now you would add this child's blood to your guilt on the steps of Twilight Town."_

"My conscience is clear!" Xemnas cried. He was beginning to get nervous. What was Mickey saying?

"_You can lie to yourself and your minions. You can claim that you haven't a qualm. But you never can run from, nor hide what you've done from the eyes, the very eyes of Twilight Town." _Mickey pointed around them at the statues, bells, and pretty much every where.

_And for one time in his life of power and control, Xemnas felt a twinge of fear for his immortal soul._

Xemnas followed Mickey's gaze at the huge clock face on the Clock Tower. Fear entered his eyes and panic seeped into his voice. "What must I do?"

"Care for the child, raise it as your own," Mickey said, as if it were completely obvious. He lifted the dead woman and began to walk away with her.

"What? I'm to be saddled with this misshapen-" the judge paused, a thought creeping across his face as he stared more at the Clock Tower. "Very well. Let him live with you."

"Live here? But where?" Mickey asked, turning around to face him.

"Anywhere. _Just so he's kept locked away where no one else can see._ The bell tower of the Clock Tower, perhaps. And who knows, our Lord works in mysterious ways. _Even this foul creature may yet prove one day to be of use to me._

* * *

**Back to normal time**

"And Xemnas gave the child a cruel name. A name that means half-formed: Roxas!" Sora held up a puppet with a hunched back. "_Now here is a riddle to guess if you can, sing the bells of Twilight Town. Who is the monster and who is the man?Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells of Twilight Town!_"

* * *

**(A/N: Yerp! Xemnas is big bad Frollo, Sora is a jester (O.O), Roxas is a hunchback (LOL!), and Mickey is an Archdeacon of a Clock Tower! Somehow. I don't even know. :D Hope you liked!**

**Zexion: …**

**R+R, and we might be able to find a cure for poor wittle Roxas! ;D)**


	3. One Day Out There

**(A/N: IMPORTANT! I MADE A MISTAKE IN CHAPTER 2! I realized I wrote Twenty Years Ago in Chapter 2, that is a mistake. I meant Fifteen Years. My bad. I'm making them younger (:D) than they are in the movie. So sorry about that. **

**Is anyone else having issues on FanFic? With uploading, I mean? Oh well.**

**Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 3: One Day Out There

It was a beautiful sunny day in Twilight Town. At the top of the Clock Tower was no different. True, gargoyles were everywhere, but you got used to them after fifteen years. A specific two were on the right side of the Clock Tower this morning. On was tall and muscular, and seemed a bit of a noble. The other was the complete opposite: pig-like, fat, and with its mouth open. In its open mouth was a near-empty bird's nest. Near-empty.

A young boy around fifteen came to the balcony where the two gargoyles sat. The boy had blonde, spiky, gravity-defying hair that swept to the right of his head and sapphire blue eyes. His most notable feature, however, was the hump on his back. He was, after all, a hunchback. Deformed from birth. He wore a ragged black t-shirt, ripped up blue shorts, and black sneakers that had seen so many better days. He would have been considered handsome, had he not been a hunchback. He walked over to the pig-like gargoyle and looked at the nest as a small baby bird awoke.

"Good morning!" he said, voice soft.

The bird squeaked back.

"Will today be the day? Are you ready to fly?"

The second squeak sounded a bit discouraged and negative.

"You sure?" the hunchback asked. He picked up the bird in his hands. "Good day to try. Why, if I picked a day to fly, oh, this would be it! The Festival of Fools! It will be fun: the jugglers, and music, and dancing..."

The bird started flapping it's wings a bit, until it was partially in the air. The boy slowly removed his hands until the bird was hovering in place. He chuckled and showed his hands to the bird, who realized it was flying. It squeaked happily, then sounded puzzled as a flock of birds flew by, as if asking permission to leave.

"Go on! Nobody wants to be cooped up here forever!" he said encouragingly.

The bird flew off to join the flock. As soon as it had gone, the pig-like gargoyle came to life, soon followed by the other one.

"Oh, man! I thought he'd never leave! I'll be spittin' feathers for a week!"

"Well that's what you get for sleeping with your mouth open, Hayner."

The pig-like gargoyle chuckled sarcastically. "Heh, heh, heh … go scare a nun! Hey, Roxas! What's goin' on out there? A fight? A flogging?"

"A festival!" said the nobleish gargoyle.

"You mean the Feast of Fools!"

"Uh huh!" said Roxas excitedly.

"All right, all right! Pour the wine and cut the cheese!" he said, making farting noises in his armpit.

"It is a treat to watch the colorful pageantry of the simple peasant folk."

"Boy, nothin' like balcony seats for watching the ol' F.O.F."

"Yeah, watching," Roxas mumbled, starting to get dejected. He turned and left the two.

"Hey, look," said Hayner, looking over the balcony and obviously not noticing his friend's sadness. "A mime." He gathered some phlegm in his throat, preparing to spit, when the other gargoyle covered his mouth. Looking sad (and a bit guilty), he swallowed his prize. The two followed their human friend inside to be joined by a third gargoyle, looking much older than the first two and apparently a girl.

"Hey, hey, what gives?" asked Hayner.

"Aren't you going to watch the festival with us?" the noble one asked.

"I don't get it," muttered Hayner.

"Perhaps he's sick!" the taller one suggested.

"Impossible. If 15 years of listening to you two hasn't made him sick by now, nothing will." said the girl.

"But watching the Festival of Fools has always been the highlight of the year for Roxas," protested the tall one.

"What good is watching the party if you never get to go hear it?" Some birds started to land on the girl's back, and she shooed them away. "Get away from me, go on, you bunch of buzzards!" Turning back to the other two, she said, "He's not made of stone, like us."

She left them to join Roxas, who sat at his table with a model of the city and small toys painted like townspeople, all of which he made himself. "Roxas, what's wrong? You wanna tell ol' Olette all about it?"

"I … I just don't feel like watching the festival, that's all."

"Well, did you ever think about going there instead?"

"Sure!" agreed the tall gargoyle, who had just now joined them.

"I'd never fit in down there. I'm not … normal." He sighed.

"Oh, Roxas, Roxas, Roxas." She paused, noticing more birds landing on her. "Do you mind? I would like to have a moment with the boy, if it's all right with you!" she said to them, shooing them away again.

"Hey, quit beating around the bell tower," said Hayner. "Whadda we gotta do? Paint you a fresco?"

"As your friends and guardians, we insist you attend the festival," the tall one commanded.

"Me?" Roxas asked, shocked.

Hayner grabbed a figurine of the Pope and showed it to him. "No, the Pope. Of course, you!" he cried, tossing the 'Pope' over his shoulder.

"It would be a veritable pope-pourri of educational experience," said the tall one.

"Wine, women, and song!" said Hayner.

"You can learn to identify various regional cheeses!"

"Bobbing for snails!"

"And the indigenous folk music."

"Dunk the monk!"

"Roxas," started Olette, patting his shoulder. "Take it from an old spectator. Life's not a spectator sport. If watchin's all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without you."

"Yeah, you're human, with the flesh, and the hair, and the naval lint. We're just part of the architecture, right, Pence?" said Hayner.

"Yet, if you chip us, will we not flake? If you moisten us, do we not grow moist?" asked Pence, making little to no sense.

"Roxas, just grab a fresh tunic and a clean pair of pants and-" Olette started.

"Thanks for the encouragement," Roxas interrupted, "But you're all forgetting one thing."

"What?" they all asked.

"My master, Xemnas."

"Oh, yeah, right," they muttered.

"Well, when he says you're forbidden from ever leaving the Clock Tower, does he mean 'ever ever'?" asked Pence.

"Never ever! And he hates the Feast of Fools! He'd be furious if I asked to go."

"Who says you gotta ask?" hinted Hayner.

"Oh, no."

"Ya sneak out …" he started.

"It's just one afternoon …" said Olette.

"…and ya sneak back in."

"He'll never know you were gone."

"I mean, if I got caught-"

"Better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission," said Pence.

"He might see me," Roxas said, worried, but he was starting to like the idea.

"You could wear a disguise," suggested Hayner. "Just this once. What Xemnas doesn't know can't hurt you!"

"Ignorance is bliss," agreed Pence.

"Look who's talking..." muttered Hayner under his breath. Pence glared at him.

"Nobody wants to stay cooped up here forever," said Olette.

Roxas thought for a moment, and a smile crept up his face. "You're right! I'll go!" he said, standing up.

"Yes!"

"I'll get cleaned up." He started for the door.

"Yes!" The 'goyles followed him.

"I'll stroll down those stairs."

"Yes!"

"I'll march through the doors and-"

"Good morning, Roxas," said Xemnas, entering through the door Roxas was about to exit through. The 'goyles turned to stone as soon as Roxas saw him.

"Ah … um, good … morning, master," Roxas said, all previous thoughts gone.

"Dear boy, whomever are you talking to?"

"My … friends," he said, indicating to the gargoyles.

"I see." Xemnas tapped Hayner on the head, producing a hollow sound. "And what are your friends made of, Roxas?"

"...Stone..." Roxas mumbled.

"Can stone talk?"

"No, it can't," he said, sounding slightly annoyed. They had been through this before...

"That's right. You're a smart lad. Now … lunch." He sat down at the table with the model city and placed the picnic basket he had brought with him on it. Roxas immediately went off to retrieve a silver chalice and plate for Xemnas and a wooden cup and plate for himself. As they dined, Xemnas pulled out a small book from his black cloak.

"Shall we review your alphabet today?"

"Yes, master. I would like that very much."

"Very well. A?"

"Abomination."

"B?"

"Blasphemy."

"C?"

"C-c-c-contrition," he stuttered a bit.

"D?"

"Damnation."

"E?"

"Eternal damnation!" Roxas said, slightly proud of himself.

"Good. F?"

"Festival..." he muttered, sighing.

Xemnas did a spit take and looked at Roxas in disdain. "Excuse me?"

"F-F-Forgiveness!" he corrected quickly.

"You said … festival," Xemnas said, glaring as he slammed the book shut.

"No!" He groaned, doing a face palm.

"You are thinking about going to the festival."

"It's just that … you go every year..."

"I am a public official; I must go! But I don't enjoy a moment! Thieves and hustlers and the dregs of humankind, all mixed together in a shallow, drunken stupor."

"I didn't mean to upset you, master," Roxas said meekly.

"Roxas, can't you understand? When your Heartless mother abandoned you as a child, anyone else would have drowned you. And this is my thanks for taking you in and raising you as my son?"

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Oh, my dear Roxas, you don't know what it's like out there. I do... I do... _The world is cruel. The world is wicked. It's I alone whom you can trust in this whole city. I am your only friend. I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you. I who look upon you without fear. How can I protect you, boy unless you always stay in here, away in here?_" He sighed.

"_You are deformed._"

"_I am deformed."_

"_And you are ugly."_

"_And I am ugly."_

"_And these are crimes for which the world shows little pity. You do not comprehend."_

"_You are my one defender."_

"_Out there, they'll revile you as a monster."_

"_I am a monster."_

"_Out there, they will hate with scorn and jeer."_

"_Only a monster."_

"_Why invite their calumny consternation? Stay in here, be faithful to me."_

"_I'm faithful."_

"_Grateful to me."_

"_I'm grateful."_

"_Do as I say. Obey, and stay in here."_

"_I'll stay in here."_

Xemnas got up to leave. On his way out, Roxas mumbled, "You are good to me, master. I'm sorry."

"You are forgiven. But, remember, Roxas: this is your sanctuary."

"Sanctuary," Roxas muttered as Xemnas left.

"_Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone. Gazing at the people down below me. All my life I watch them as I hide up here alone. Hungry for the histories they show me. All my life I memorize their faces. Knowing them as they will never know me. All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day, not above them... But part of them... And out there, living in the sun. Give me one day out there. All I ask is one, to hold forever. Out there, where they all live unaware. What I'd give... What I'd dare, just to live one day out there! Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives. Through the roofs and gables I can see them. Every day they shout and scold and go about their lives. Heedless of the gift it is to be them. If I was in their skin, I'd treasure every instant. Out there, strolling by the Seine, taste a morning out there. Like ordinary men who freely walk about there. Just one day and then I swear I'll be content, with my share, won't resent, won't despair, old and bent, I won't care. I'll have spent one day out there!"_

* * *

**(A/N: Well? Did you like? I hopes you did. Oh yeah, the entire time I was watching the movie, I was giving the characters Kingdom Hearts parts. I kept laughing every time Hugo (the pig gargoyle) did Hayner-like things. I think they fit. ;D**

**Kairi: R+R!**

**Hayner: And cut the cheese!**

**Kairi: Grr...**

**Hayner: O.O*)**


	4. HEEEEERE'S AXEL!

**(A/N: Enjoy all you happy people!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 4: HEEEEERE'S AXEL!

In the streets of Twilight Town, in the midst of all the activity, a man around twenty and his horse walked, lost. The man had spiky, gravity-defying red hair that seemed to shoot out of the back of his head, emerald green eyes, and purple triangle-shaped tattoos underneath his eyes. He wore golden armor, a large sword at his side. His horse was pitch black with a white heart on his chest. It wore a saddle and reigns, with which the man pulled him by, and some burlap sacks on its sides. The two stopped for a moment for the man to consult a map.

"Huh, ya leave town for a couple of decades and they change everything," he said to the horse, crumpling up the useless map and throwing it away. The horse snorted in agreement.

The redhead turned to see two guards walking by. "Excuse me, gentlemen, I'm looking for the Palace of Justice. Would you-" They continued to walk by, ignoring him as he talked. He left his mouth open for a bit before saying, "-Hmm, I guess not."

Meanwhile, in a corner, a pretty young girl was dancing for money as a young boy played the clarinet and a goat pranced around. The girl had short black hair and ocean blue eyes, and wore a ragged black t-shirt, equally ragged black shorts, and no shoes. The boy had spiky, messy, gravity-defying red hair and sapphire blue eyes, and wore a green t-shirt, patched up black shorts, and no shoes as well. The goat was white with a bit of black on his head and nose. A woman and her child walked by, but the woman steered her child away from them.

"Stay away, child. They're gypsies. They'll steal us blind."

As the two left, the man in armor approached the gypsies. Entranced by the girl's dancing, he dropped a few coins into the hat on the ground. The girl smiled at him as she continued to dance, silently thanking him.

While the armored man was walking away, a small boy on top of the wall appeared. He had messy black hair that spiked everywhere, and sapphire blue eyes with golden tints in them. He wore no shirt, no shoes, and black shorts. **(A/N: I'm seeing a theme here.) **He whistled at the other gypsies, who quickly scrambled for cover. As the redhaired gypsy grabbed the hat, coins flew everywhere. He ran, ignoring them. The girl tried to gather the change, but guards arrived before she could collect it all.

"All right, gypsy, where'd ya get the money?" asked one. He had a strange black ponytail with gray streaks, and amber eyes.

"For your information, I earned it," the girl said defiantly.

"Gypsies don't earn money," the guard sneered.

"You steal it?" asked the other guard. He had messy, spiky auburn hair and blue eyes, and seemed pretty well-muscled.

"You'd know a lot about stealing!" the girl spat.

"Troublemaker!" said the ponytailed one.

"Maybe a day in the stocks will cool you down," said the muscled one, grabbing her arm. The girl kneed his crotch, causing him to let go and clutch it in pain. The other guard tried to get her, but she dodged him. She ran. As the guards began to chase her, the armored man blocked them with his horse, and they fell to the ground. The ponytailed one just so happened to be in the right spot, and...

"Vanitas! Sit!" Vanitas obeyed, plopping his rear on the man's back, causing him to land splat in a puddle with the horse sitting on top of him. Vani snickered.

"Oh, dear, I'm sorry," said the redhead, feigning surprise. He shook his finger at the horse. "Naughty horse, naughty! He's just impossible! Really, I can't take him anywhere."

"Get this thing off me!" cried the guard in the puddle.

"I'll teach you a lesson, peasant!" said the large one, approaching the redhead and pulling out a small dagger. To this, the redhead pulls out his much larger sword.

"You were saying … Lieutenant?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The guard's eyes widened in shock. "Oh, Captain Axel!" He saluted. "At your service, sir!"

Axel went over to the guard on the ground and sliced a bit of his ponytail off with his sword as he stuck it in the ground next to his head. "I know you have a lot on your mind right now, but … the Palace of Justice?"

* * *

"Make way! Make way! Captain Axel coming through! Make way!" The guards pushed the crowd out of their way, allowing the Captain to pass. As he walked, he saw some coins on the ground. He picked them up and dropped them in the hat of an old man sitting on the street. After he passed, the 'old man' pulled his hood down to reveal the goat sitting on the girl's head. She looked at the man curiously, then at the goat.

"Come on, boy. Vanitas! Heel!" Axel said to the horse.

* * *

The Palace of Justice was really a torture place, made for those who Xemnas decided to 'teach a lesson' to. Inside one of the rooms, a flogging was occurring, with Xemnas watching intently.

"Guard!" Xemnas called to the man. The guard had long, black dreadlocks and violet eyes.

"Sir?"

"Ease up. Wait between lashes. Otherwise the older sting will dull him to the new."

"Yes, sir."

Just then, Captain Axel arrived. Xemnas turned to him.

"Ah, so this is the gallant Captain Axel, home from the wars."

"Reporting for duty, as ordered, sir."

"Your service record precedes you, Axel. I expect nothing but the best from a war hero of your calibre."

"And you shall have it, sir. I guarantee it."

"Yes. You know, my last captain of the guard was, um, a bit of a disappointment to me."

They were interrupted by a whip crack and a girly like scream. Axel, startled by both, turned to look at the prisoner. The man (apparently Xemnas' last captain) had long blue hair, an X-shaped scar on his forehead, and amber eyes. Not wanting to see more, Axel turned back to Xemnas, looking a bit horrified.

"Well, no matter. I'm sure you'll whip my men into shape."

"Uh, thank you, sir, uh, very, uh, trem- uh, a tremendous honor, sir," the redhead stuttered.

The two walked outside and rested on a stone wall overlooking the city.

"You come to Twilight Town in her darkest hour, Captain. It will take a firm hand to save the weak-minded from being so easily misled."

"Misled, sir?"

"Look, Captain..." said Xemnas, gesturing down to the streets far below them. Axel could see a couple gypsies dancing in the streets again. "...Gypsies. The gypsies live outside the normal order. Their heathen ways inflame the peoples' lowest instincts, and they must be stopped."

Axel looked a bit surprised and annoyed. "I was summoned from the wars to capture fortune tellers and palm readers?"

"Oh, the real war, Captain, is what you see before you. For fifteen years, I have been taking care of the gypsies, one..." He smooshed an ant that had been crawling on the wall. "...By..." Another flat ant. "...One..." All three ants, crushed on the tile. Xemnas then flipped the tile over, revealing scores of ants scurrying around underneath.

"And yet," he said sadly, "For all of my success, they have thrived. I believe they have a safe haven, within the walls of this very city. A nest, if you will," he said, gesturing to the ants again. "They call it the Court of Miracles."

"What are **we** going to do about it, sir?"

Xemnas grinned evilly at him and slammed the tile back down, turning it a bit to crush the remainder of the ants.

"You make your point quite vividly, sir."

"You know, I like you captain. Shall we?"

He began to leave, when the crowd below started to cheer loudly.

Sighing, he said, "Oh, duty calls. Have you ever attended a peasant festival, Captain?"

"Not … recently, sir."

"Then this should be quite an education for you. Come along."

* * *

**(A/N: And there he is! Captain Phoebus, the one and only, AXEL! *Cheers.**

**Okay, two gypsies that I wrote down are my OC's. If you care, you can ask in a review or PM or somethin' for their names, personality, etc., whatever. **

**VANI'S A HOOOORSE! BAHAHAHAHAHA! AND HE SAT ON XIGBAR! LOLOLOLOL!**

**If you can't tell, the guards (in the order they are introduced) are: Xigbar, Lexaeus, and the return of Xaldin (Who was in Chapter 2). **

**Who's Esmeralda and the goat? I AIN'T TELLIN' YOU YET!**

**Axel: R+R, and remember, FIRE IS GOOOOOOOD!)**


	5. Feast of Fools!

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 5: Feast of Fools!

Roxas carefully climbed down the side of the Clock Tower with amazing skill, a hood covering his face. He wandered into the crowd, lost, as an oncoming group of people began to sing.

"_Come one! Come all! Leave your looms and milking stools! Coop the hens and pen the mules! Come one! Come all! Close the churches and the schools! It's the day for breaking rules! Come and join the Feast... of..."_

Sora sprang from the crowd. "_Foooooools!"_

Cheers and applause erupted from the people.

Roxas tried to work his way through the crowd, but Sora had noticed the poor hunchback and his predicament, and seemed to take advantage of it. He started to sing to him.

"_Once a year we throw a party here in town! Once a year we turn all Twilight Town upside down! Every man's a king and every king's a clown! Once again, it's topsy turvy day! It's the day the devil in us gets released! It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest! Everything is topsy turvy at the Feast of Fools!_"

"_Topsy turvy!"_ sang the crowd.

"_Everything is upsy-daisy!"_ cried Sora.

"_Topsy turvy!"_

_ "Everyone is acting crazy! Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet! That's the way on topsy turvy day!"_

Roxas was thrown into a line of dancers and then shoved away. He fell and crashed into the dressing tent of a young girl. When he realized this, he quickly looked away.

"Hey! Are you all right?" asked the girl.

"I didn't mean to... I'm sorry," stuttered Roxas.

"You're not hurt, are you? Here, here, let's see." She tried to pull the hood off so she could examine his face.

"No, no, no!" he cried. If she saw him, what would she think?

Despite his attempts, he was unsuccessful in stopping her. The girl's young goat, white with black on its head and nose, looked disgusted, but the girl herself didn't flinch.

Roxas looked in the girl's beautiful ocean blue eyes and immediately was relaxed. She had short black hair that seemed to have been cut with a knife, and reached only the middle of her neck. She was amazing. Her eyes sparkled with compassion, something he'd never seen before. It left him stumbling on his words.

"There. See, no harm done." She helped him up and led him outside. "Just try to be a little more careful."

"I-I-I will." As he began to leave, she called out.

"By the way, great mask!" she said, winking and giving him a thumbs up. He didn't really understand, so he thought nothing of it.

Meanwhile, the crowd and Sora were still singing.

"_Topsy turvy!_"

"_Beat the drums and blow the trumpets!"_

_ "Topsy turvy!"_

_ "Join the bums and thieves and strumpets streaming in from Chartres to Calais! Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy on the sixth of 'Januervy', all because it's topsy turvy day!"_

Xemnas, Axel, and the guards went to their assigned seats as Sora jumped onstage to present someone.

"_Come one! Come all! Hurry, hurry, here's your chance! See the mystery and romance! Come one! Come all! See the finest girl in France, make an entrance to entrance, dance la Xion … daaance!"_A puff of smoke made Sora disappear, leaving Xion in his place. She began to perform a sultry dance, awing the crowd (which included Roxas).

"Look at that disgusting display," muttered Xemnas to Axel.

"Yes, sir!" he said enthusiastically, pushing up his helmet to see better. **(A/N: Lol, Axel!)**

As Xion continued to dance, she pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it around Xemnas' head playfully, using it to pull him closer. She moved in to kiss him, but jumped away at the last moment, a look of pure disgust on her face, followed by a wicked grin. Xemnas yanked the handkerchief off his head angrily.

Xion finished her dance, and Sora came up to join her on the stage again.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the piece de resistance! _Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for! Here it is, you know exactly what's in store! Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore! Now's the time we crown the King of Foooooools! _You all remember last year's king, Setzer!"

A large, fat man was sitting on a chair, carried by some of the crowd. He had extremely long silver hair and violet eyes. He belched loudly, then smiled, proud at the burp.

"_So, make a face that's horrible and frightening! Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing!"_

Hayner, watching from the Clock Tower, stopped dancing to the tune to protest. "Hey!"

"_For the face that's ugliest will be the King of Foooooools!"_

"_Topsy turvy!"_ cried the crowd.

"_Ugly folks, forget your shyness!"_

_ "Topsy turvy!"_

_ "You could soon be called your highness! Put your foulest features on display! Be the king of topsy turvy daaaay!"_

Sora and Xion pulled contestants (who were usually volunteered by the crowd or friends) onto the stage. Xion purposely went over to Roxas and brought him up as well, giving him a heart-warming smile. When all the contestants were up, Xion made her way down the line, ripping off masks and revealing the ugly faces (or silly faces made) underneath. The festivities continued until she reached Roxas. She tried to pull his mask off, but soon realized that it wasn't a mask.

"That's no mask!" said a man in horror.

"It's his face!" a woman gasped.

"He's hideous!" said another woman.

"It's the bell ringer from the Clock Tower!" cried a second man.

Roxas was devastated, realizing that the people were disgusted by him. Xemnas saw him and immediately recognized him. Sora, trying to keep things festive, jumped in.

"Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic! We asked for the ugliest face in France, and here he is! Roxas, the hunchback of Twilight Town!"

Upon hearing Sora, the crowd once again grew festive, and the jester crowned Roxas the King of Fools.

"_Once a year, we throw a party here in town!" _sang the crowd.

"_Hail to the King!"_ Sora cried.

"_Once a year, we turn all Twilight Town upside down!"_

_ "Oh what a King!"_

_ "Once a year the ugliest will wear a crown!"_

_ "Girls, give a kiss!"_

_ "Once a year on topsy turvy day!"_

_ "We've never had a king like this!"_

_ "And it's the day we do the things that we deplore! On the other three-hundred-and-sixty-four! Once a year we love to drop in, where the beer is never stoppin', for the chance to pop some popinjay, and pick a King who'll put the top in topsy … turvy … daaaaay!"_

_ "Topsy turvy!"_

_ "Mad and crazy, upsy-daisy, topsy turvy day!"_

From above on the Clock Tower, Hayner, Pence, and Olette whooped and cheered, while the crowd on the ground chanted.

"Rox-as! Rox-as! Rox-as!"

Off to the side, a certain ponytailed guard and a certain muscular guard were watching.

"You think he's ugly now?" sneered the big one. "Watch this!"

He threw a tomato as Roxas, hitting him square in the face. The crowd suddenly went quiet.

"Now that's ugly!" laughed the guard.

"Hail to the king!" mocked the ponytailed guard, throwing another tomato. Soon, Roxas was being pelted with produce of all kinds. Shouts came from all directions. He was quickly lassoed and tied down on a rotating platform before he could run away. He was spun around as onlookers continued their torment. Roxas saw Xemnas watching and shouted for help.

"Master! Master, please! Help me!" he cried, tears streaming down his face, as well as random food. Axel, seeing enough, turns to Judge Xemnas.

"Sir, request permission to stop this cruelty."

"In just a moment, Captain. A lesson needs to be learned here."

Axel frowned, but obeyed. Almost as soon as Xemnas has said this, the crowd gasped and went silent. Axel and Xemnas looked up to the stage and saw Xion ascending the steps. She kneeled next to Roxas.

"Don't be afraid," she whispered as she gently cleaned off his face. "I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"You! Gypsy girl!" Xemnas shouted, standing. "Get down at once!"

"Yes, your honor," she said, bowing. "Just as soon as I free this poor creature."

"I forbid it!"

Xion defiantely whipped out a knife and cut the ropes holding Roxas.

"How dare you defy me!" Xemnas said, enraged.

"You mistreat this poor boy the same way you mistreat my people. You speak of justice, yet you are cruel to those most in need of your help."

"Silence!"

"Justice!" she shot back.

"Mark my words, gypsy. You will pay for this insolence."

"Then it appears we've crowned the wrong fool," she said, grabbing the hat. "The only fool I see is you!" She threw the hat onto the ground in front of Xemnas.

"Captain Axel! Arrest her."

Axel, regretting it but obeying orders, motioned for his guards to move in and arrest Xion. The men surrounded the stage.

"Now, let's see," said Xion. She pointed at each guard as she counted them off. "One, two, three, four five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten of you, and one of me. What's a poor girl to do?"

She took out another handkerchief and started to cry, but as she blew her nose, she disappeared in an explosion of smoke.

"Witchcraft!" said Xemnas, disgusted.

"Oh, boys! Over here!"

They turned to see Xion's head smiling at them in a group of jack-o-lanterns.

"Get her!"

The girl led them on a wild chase throughout the streets. At one point, she knocked a large cage containing an old prisoner to the ground. It went rolling away, until it came to a stop and the lock broke open. The man stepped out. Riku, as he was known, had long silver hair and sky blue eyes.

"I'm free! I'm free!" he shouted. Then he tripped and fell into a stockade, which closed and locked.

"...Dang it."

Meanwhile, Xion continued to evade the guards. She grabbed her goat and jumped on top of the crowd, which carried them away to safety. The ponytailed guard and the big-muscled guard attempted the same move, but the crowd quickly moved away, letting them fall.

Xion grabbed a helmet with a sharp point on the top from one of the guards, and threw it like a frisbee. It hit three guards and knocked them out, before almost chopping Axel's head off, had he not ducked at the last moment.

"What a woman!" said Axel.

Two guards on horseback were chasing Xion. As she leaped over Xemnas' stand, someone threw the guards a staff. Each holding onto an end, the horizontal staff sliced through Xemnas' stand, sending him diving for cover. Xion ascended to the top of a stand, then promptly disappeared.

Xemnas turned to Axel. "Find her, Captain! I want her alive!"

"Yes, sir." To his men, he said, "Seal off the area, men. Find the gypsy girl, and do not harm her!"

Xemnas went over to Roxas, who hung his head low in shame.

"I'm sorry, master," he whispered. "I will never disobey you again."

He moved to the entrance of the Clock Tower as the rain began to fall. He went in, then slowly closed the door to his freedom.

* * *

**(A/N: You know, I realized I have yet to tell you the goat's name. Hmm... Anyways! Yeah, um... Xion's Esmeralda, for those of you who wanted her: You is welcome! And she beats ass. Oh yeah! Poor Roxas, though...**

**And Seifer's the last king! BAHAHAHA! Sorry, I hate him... And I made him fat! LOL!**

**Axel is hilarious. I'm sorry, but he is! "YES, SIR! 8D". **

**I'm sure Sora had fun! **

**Sora: Wheeee!**

**Random Riku is Random. (And he's not gone forever! :D)**

**Saїx: …**

**:( What are YOU doing here? I don't like you! Get out! *Falcon Punches.** **Anyways, R+R!)**


	6. Trapped!

**(A/N: Due to CERTAIN people bugging me and calling me a peasant, I am updating two today! (JK, I was bored. They bugged me after I started. ;D)**

**To Ultimate Black ace, whom I couldn't reply back to: I know, but I hate Riku, so I'm going to trap him constantly. :D**

**Anyways, Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 6: Trapped!

Axel and the guards searched for Xion unsuccessfully. She was, in fact, disguised again with the goat as the old man. She snuck into the Clock Tower. Axel saw her and recognized who it was, so he followed her in alone. As he came up behind her, she turned and grabbed his sword.

"You!"

She forced him to the floor, holding him there with the tip of his sword at his chin.

"Easy, easy … I just shaved this morning," he said carefully.

"Oh, really? You missed a spot."

"All right, all right. Just calm down. Just give me a chance to apologize."

She hesitated. "For what?"

As she let her guard down for a split second, Axel grabbed the sword from her hands and turned it on her.

"That, for example." He smirked slightly.

"You sneaky son of a-"

"Ah, ah, ah! Watch it: you're in a church!"

Xion picked up a staff with candles on top. "Are you always this charming, or am I just lucky?" She swung the staff at him, who blocked it with his sword.

As she continued to swing at him, he said, "Candlelight … privacy … music … Can't think of a better place for hand-to-hand combat! You fight almost as well as a man!" he appraised.

"Funny," she sneered. "I was going to say the same thing about you."

"That's hitting a little below the belt, don't you think?"

"No. This is."

She swung one end of the staff at Axel's crotch. He blocked it with his sword, and she quickly hit him in the face with the other end of the staff. He shook it off.

"Touche!"

The goat butted him in the chest.

"I didn't know you had a kid," he said jokingly.

"Well, he doesn't take kindly to soldiers," she half-warned. They had stopped fighting by now.

"Eh, I noticed," he said as the goat glared at him. "Permit me. I'm Axel. It means 'sun god'," he said, trying to impress (and failing). "And you are?"

"Is this an interrogation?"

"It's called an introduction."

"You're not arresting me?"

"Not as long as you're in here. I can't."

"You're not at all like the other soldiers," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Thank you."

"So, if you're not going to arrest me, what do you want?"

"I'd settle for your name."

"Xion."

"It's beautiful. Much better than Axel, anyway," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

As Xion stared at him, trying to understand this strange, different man, and Axel seemed to be distracted by the goat (who was giving him a very creepy glare), neither noticed Xemnas and the guards approaching.

"Good work, Captain!" praised Xemnas. "Now, arrest her."

Xion looked quickly at Xemnas, shock in her face, while Axel still had his back to the Judge.

"Claim sanctuary," he whispered to her.

She looked at him oddly.

"Say it!"

"You tricked me!" she cried, getting into a defensive stance. Her goat seemed to as well.

"I'm waiting, Captain," said Xemnas impatiently.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said, facing Xemnas at last and shrugging. "She claims sanctuary. There's nothing I can do."

"Then drag her outside at-"

He was interrupted by Archdeacon Mickey entering. "Xemnas!" he shouted. "You will not touch her!" He turned to Xion. "Don't worry. Minister Xemnas learned **years ago **to respect the sanctity of the church," he said, glaring at Xemnas. Only he knew his secret, after all.

Xemnas and the guards turned to leave, but the Judge ducked around a pillar and doubled back.

The goat followed the men and pushed Axel hard.

"All right, all right! I'm going!" he complained. Xion couldn't help but smile at the two.

As the remainder of the people passed, Xemnas jumped out, grabbed Xion's arm, and twisted it behind her. He whispered into her ear as she winced in pain.

"You think you've outwitted me, but I am a patient man, and gypsies don't do well inside stone walls." He paused, breathing deeply, smelling her hair.

"What are you doing?" she growled.

"I was just imagining a rope around that beautiful neck." He caressed her neck, but she pulled away.

"I know what you were imagining." Disgust was written all over her face.

"Such a clever witch. So typical of your kind, to twist the truth to cloud the mind with unholy thoughts. Well, no matter." He began to leave. "You've chosen a magnificent prison, but it is a prison nonetheless. Set one foot outside, and you're mine!"

He exited, pulling the door shut behind him. She rushed over to another door, only to find guards outside.

"Xemnas' orders!" cried the big-muscled guard. "Post a guard at every door."

Xion slammed it shut. The goat came back to her, finished pushing Axel out.

"One thing, Ventus: If Xemnas thinks he can keep up here, he's wrong," she said to the goat.

"Don't act rashly, child," Mickey said. "You created quite a stir at the festival. It would be unwise to arouse Xemnas' anger further."

"You saw what he did out there, letting the crowd torture that poor boy," she protested. "I thought if just one person could stand up to him, then..." She sighed. "What do they have against people who are different, anyway?"

"You can't right all the wrongs in this world by yourself," said Mickey sadly.

"No one out **there's** going to help, that's for sure," she scoffed.

"Perhaps there's someone in here who can," he replied, gracefully motioning towards the inside of the Clock Tower, then left. Of course, he meant Roxas, but she didn't know that. Not yet...

* * *

**(A/N: Hey! Did ya catch the goat's name? Lol! He now hates Axel, for reasons completely unknown to even me. That guy has a life of his own...**

**Xion: Help meeeee!**

**Roxas: 8D I wiiiill!**

**Xion: O.o Uhh...**

**I love how I just made Mickey Archdeacon of a Clock Tower. Ya gotta have talent to do that!**

**Ew! Xemnas is creepy! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM XION!**

**BTW, I don't really know if Axel means sun god. I just liked that quote from the movie, so I kept it. ;)**

**BTW again, special thanks to AlwaysNinja, who motivated me just a little more (and a little less by calling me that)**

**Roxas+Xion: R+R!)**


	7. Roxas and Xion

**(A/N: Hello! I is back! Are you happy? Probably not. … Whatev.**

**Disclaimer: I suddenly got into the habit of adding this, but only on this story... hmm... Anywho, I don't own Disney until I get enough money to buy a bomb, nor do I own Kingdom Hearts until I get enough money to get an airplane ticket. (XD) Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 7: Roxas and Xion

Xion moved through the Clock Tower, singing softly.

"_I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there. I don't know if you would listen, to a gypsy's prayer. Yes, I know I'm just an outcast. I shouldn't speak to you. Still I see your face and wonder, were you once an outcast too? God help the outcasts, hungry from birth. Show them the mercy they don't find on earth. God help my people, we look to you still. God help the outcasts, or nobody will._"

She passed other people, praying as well in a song.

"_I ask for wealth_," they sang. _"I ask for fame. I ask for glory to shine on my name. I ask for love I can possess. I ask for God and his angels to bless me!"_

Meanwhile, Roxas had heard Xion's voice, and had come downstairs to watch her. He sighed dreamily as she continued to sing.

_"I ask for nothing. I can get by. But I know so many less lucky than I. Please help my people, the poor and downtrod. I thought we all were the Children of God. God help the outcasts, Children of God."_

She finished her song just as a man spotted Roxas.

"You! Bell ringer!" he shouted. "What are you doing down here!"

Startled, Roxas jumped and knocked over a candlestaff. He tried to grab it in vain and it crashed to the floor, the noise echoing in the spacious Tower.

"Haven't you caused enough trouble already?" the man continued to shout.

The hunchback quickly ran off to the staircase, and Xion gave chase.

"Wait!" she called. "I want to talk to you!"

Panicked, Roxas continued to run away. He came out the top of the staircase, followed by Xion and Ventus. The gargoyles watched from above.

"Look!" said Olette, pointing. "He's got a friend with him."

"Yeah, maybe today wasn't a total loss after all," Hayner said.

"A vision of loveliness!" cried Pence.

"The one in the dress ain't bad either," remarked Hayner, nudging Pence with his elbow.

Roxas reached his room, where the 'goyles greeted him.

"Roxas!" cried Hayner.

"Congratulations!" praised Pence.

"Got the girls chasing you already!"

"Actually, I-" Roxas began, but Pence interrupted.

"You mustn't run too fast, or she'll get away."

"Yes, ah, ah, ah, I know. That's what-" This time Hayner cut him off.

"Give her some slack, then reel her in. Then give her some slack, then reel her in. Then give her some slack-"

"Knock it off, Hayner!" said Olette. "She's a girl, not a mackerel."

Xion finally entered, and the 'goyles went to stone.

"Here you are. I was afraid I'd lost you," she said.

"Yes. Um, well, I uh, I have chores to do. It was, uh, nice … seeing … you … again. Ohh..." he muttered, turning away.

"No, wait!"

As they talked, Ven was examining Hayner. The 'goyle briefly came to life, made kissing faces at Ven, then went back to stone. Ventus looked confused.

Xion, meanwhile, was giving chase to the once again fleeing Roxas. "I'm really sorry about this afternoon. I had no idea who you were. I would never in my life had … pulled … you … up on the … stage."

She slowed down as she reached his room, with its dangling glass mobile and model of the city. She was in complete awe.

"What is this place?" she asked breathlessly.

"This is where I live."

"Did you make all these things yourself?" She picked up a figure.

"Most of them..."

She fingered the mobile as she observed it. "This is beautiful. If I could do this, you wouldn't find me dancing in the streets for coins."

"But you're a wonderful dancer!" Roxas argued.

"Well, it keeps bread on the table, anyway," she said, placing the figure back on the table. "What's this?" She reached for something covered with a fabric napkin.

"Oh, no, please oh, I'm not finished! I still have to paint them..."

He trailed off as she lifted the fabric to reveal two more wooden figures. "It's the blacksmith!" Xion said in surprise. "And the baker! You're a surprising person, Roxas. Not to mention lucky. All this room to yourself." She gestured around them.

"Well, it's not just me..." he said humbly. "There's the gargoyles, and of course the bells... Would you like to see them?"

"Yes, of course. Wouldn't we, Ven?"

Ventus, who had been munching on mobile sheep, slurped up the shepherd into his mouth.

"Follow me. I'll introduce you," said Roxas.

Up in the Bell Tower, Xion said, "Never knew there were so many."

"That's Little Sophia, and Jean Marie, Ann Marie, and Louise Marie. Triplets, you know." He pointed out every bell.

"And who's this?" she asked, going under a gigantic bell.

"Big Marie."

"Hello!" Xion shouted, and the call echoed and resonated richly.

"She likes you. Would you like to see more?"

"How 'bout it, Ventus?" she asked, turning to the goat.

Ven, under Big Marie, belched loudly, which in turn echoed and resonated richly.

"We'd love to," she told Roxas.

"Good. I've saved the best for last!"

Roxas and Xion proceeded outside to a beautiful view of Twilight Town and the Seine. Xion gazed in awe, already loving the view.

"I bet the King himself doesn't have a view like this! I could stay up here forever."

"You could, you know..." Roxas said hopefully.

"No, I couldn't."

"Oh, yes, you have sanctuary!" _If only she would stay..._

"But not freedom. Gypsies don't do well inside stone walls," she muttered, remembering her talk with Xemnas.

"But you're not like the other gypsies. They're … evil."

"Who told you that?"

"My master, Xemnas. He raised me."

"How could such a cruel man have raised someone like you?"

"Cruel? Oh, no! He saved my life. He took me in when no one else would. I-I am a monster, you know..." He looked away, ashamed at who he was.

"He told you that?" How could Roxas idolize a man that called him that?

"Look at me." Xion thought for a moment before saying:

"Give me your hand." She took his hand and looked at his palm.

"Why?"

"Just let me see." She traced his palm lines with her finger. "Hmm, a long life line... oh, and this one means you're shy." He blushed at that. "Hmm. Hmm, hmm, hmm … well, that's funny..."

"What!"

"I don't see any."

"Any what?"

"Monster lines. Not a single one." She showed him her hand. "Now you look at me. Do you think I'm evil?"

"No, no, no!" he said, placing her hand back in her own lap. "You are kind, and good, and-"

"-And a gypsy. And maybe Xemnas is wrong about the both of us."

Below, the gargoyles were straining to listen in.

"What did she say?" asked Hayner, sitting on Pence's shoulders and holding up Olette.

"Xemnas' nose is long, and he wears a truss," she told him.

"Hah! Told ya! Pay up!" he said to Pence. The 'goyle handed him a gold coin reluctantly.

Back on the rooftop, Roxas was getting up. "You helped me. Now I will help you."

"But there's no way out. There's soldiers at every door."

"We won't use a door," he said, gesturing to the balconies.

"You mean … climb down?"

"Sure. You carry him," He motioned to Ventus. "I carry you."

"Okay. Come on, Ven." He hopped into her open arms.

"Ready?" Roxas asked, holding her with one arm.

"Yes."

"Don't be afraid."

"I'm not a afraid," she said defiantly.

Roxas leapt over the edge and held on to a gargoyle's head. One wrong step and they fell to their deaths.

"Now I'm afraid."

"The trick is not to look down," he told her.

As he said that, Ven looked down, seeing how far up he was. The scared goat hid his face on Xion's chest. Roxas began swinging down the exterior of the Clock Tower. **(A/N: Imagine it with gargoyles and such.)**

"You've done this before?" asked Xion.

"No." He finally stopped on a slanted roof.

"Wow. You're quite an acrobat."

"Thank you, I-" His words were cut short as the tile they were on broke free and they began to slide down the roof as if they were on a sled. They were able to jump off their sled just before it went sailing off into the air. It landed a few blocks away. The guards on the ground below heard the crash and went off to investigate.

"Check the alley!"

"This way!"

As the guards passed, Roxas, Xion, and Ventus hid as part of a statue. When the coast was clear, they spoke again.

"I hope I didn't scare you," Roxas said worriedly, putting her down at last, though reluctantly.

"Not for an instant."

Ven groaned as his heart was only just now beginning to beat again.

"I'll never forget you, Xion."

She frowned, then grinned as an idea hit her. "Come with me."

"What?"

"To the Court of Miracles. Leave this place."

"Oh, no. I'm never going back out there again. You saw what happened to me today. No. This is where I belong," he said, patting the Clock Tower's wall.

"All right, then I'll come to see you."

"What? Here? But, t-the soldiers, and Xemnas, and..."

"I'll come after sunset."

"A-At sunset, I ring the evening mass, and after that, I clean the kooisters, and then I ring the vespers, and-"

Xion cut him off with a light kiss on the cheek. Roxas' mouth hung open in the middle of his speech for a moment. _She kissed me. She kissed me! Xion kissed me!_

"-Whatever's good for you."

Xion pulled a talisman off her neck and hung it around Roxas'. "If you ever need sanctuary, this will show you the way."

"But how?" he asked, observing it in his hand.

"Just remember: When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand." Roxas nodded, quickly hiding it under his shirt.

Ven bleated as the guards were returning, warning them and interrupting their talk.

"Hurry! You must go!" said Roxas.

Xion swung down a rope to the ground and ran off into the dark, Ven following quickly behind her. Roxas climbed back up to his Tower. As soon as he reached the ledge, Axel appeared. He gave him his signature grin.

"Hi there. I'm looking for the gypsy girl. Have you seen her?"

Roxas became extremely angry at the sight of him. The nerve of the guy, trying to arrest or **kill** his only friend! He tried to punch Axel.

"Whoa, whoa! Easy!" Axel said, putting up his hands and backing up.

"No soldiers! Sanctuary! Get out!" he cried.

"Wait! All I wanted was to-"

"Go!" He forced him back to the staircase.

"I mean her no harm!"

_Yeah, sure!_ Roxas groaned, aggravated. "GO!" He grabbed a torch and began swinging it at Axel. The man backed off, but he continued to swing, enraged. Finally, Axel drew his sword and swung, pinning the torch against the wall. Roxas, in turn, grabbed him by his shirt. It was quiet, besides their panting, then Axel spoke.

"You tell her from me, that I didn't mean to trap her here, but it was the only way to save her life." Roxas' eyes widened when he realized the man was telling the truth. "Will you tell her that?"

No response.

"Will you?"

He thought for a moment, then glared again. "If you go. Now!"

"I'll go. Now, ehm, will you … put me down, please?"

The hunchback realized he had been holding Axel several feet off the floor. He set him back down, albeit roughly. Axel started to leave, then turned to say something.

"Oh. And one more thing. Tell Xion she's very lucky."

"Why?"

"To have a friend like you," he said, sheathing his sword. Then he left an utterly confuzzled Roxas.

* * *

**(A/N: Did you like? Hmm? Hope ya did!**

**Damn, Roxas is strong, picking up Axel like that...**

**Terra: Yay! Spotlight on me! R+R, peeps!**

**Short Author's Note is extremely short. XD)**


	8. Heaven's Light or Hell's Fire?

**(A/N: Hey all you peoplez of the wide wide world! Here's another chappie! ^^**

**Special thanks to: Tomatoes. Seriously. They're sponsoring me today. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney. Puppies with Rainbow Powers do. I also don't own the element Fire. That belongs to Axel, who won't share. Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 8: Heaven's Light or Hell's Fire?

Roxas returned to his room and the gargoyles, who crowded around him.

"Hey hey! There he is!" cried Hayner.

"You ejected that tin-plated baboon with great panache!" said Pence.

"The nerve of him! Snooping around here trying to steal your girl."

"My girl?" questioned Roxas in disbelief.

"Xion," Olette said slowly, thinking he had forgotten. "Dark hair, works with a goat. Remember?"

"Boy, I do!" joined in Hayner. "Way to go, loverboy!"

"Loverboy! Oh, no, no..." Roxas denied, smiling. He kinda liked the idea though...

"Oh, don't be so modest," said Olette.

"Look. I appreciate what you're all trying to do, but let's not fool ourselves. Ugliest face in all Twilight Town, remember?" He pointed to his own face. "I don't think I'm her type." He leaned on the balcony wall, staring dreamily into the distance. The gargoyles left him alone as he began to sing.

"_So many times out there, I've watched a happy pair, of lovers walking in the night. They had a kind of glow around them. It almost looked like Heaven's light. I knew I'd never know, that warm and loving glow, though I might wish with all my might. No face as hideous as my face, was ever meant for Heaven's light._"

Roxas started to carve another figure of wood. The three gargoyles started drawing to help him with his carving. Olette drew a pretty nice stick-like figure of Xion, Pence drew a professionalish looking picture of Xion, and Hayner drew a picture of Ventus. Roxas ignored them and continued his creation.

"_But suddenly an angel has smiled at me, and kissed my cheek without a trace of fright. I dare to dream that she might even care for me, and as I ring these bells tonight, my cold dark Tower seems so bright. I swear it must be Heaven's light!_"

Placing the finished figure of Xion dancing on the table, Roxas went off to ring the evening bells, a wide grin on his face.

Meanwhile, in the Palace of Justice, Xemnas stood in front of his fireplace in his bedchamber. Only the fire lit the otherwise dark room. He examined the handkerchief Xion had left around his neck at the Feast of Fools, as he sang.

"_Beatta Maria, you know I am a righteous man. Of my virtue, I am justly proud. Beatta Maria, you know I'm so much purer than the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd. Then tell me, Maria, why I see her dancing there, why her smoldering eyes still scorch my soul."_

The flames took the form of a dancing Xion, dancing for Xemnas' pleasure. He drew back when he realized who it was.

"_Like fire, Hellfire. This fire in my skin. This burning desire, is turning me to sin!_"

The walls of the room and the flames suddenly became a row of judges, all dressed in red robes. Xemnas was terrified, and began running all around, trying to blame anyone but himself.

"_It's not my fault! I'm not to blame! It is the gypsy girl, the witch who sent this flame. It's not my fault, if, in God's plan. He made the Devil so much stronger than the Lamb! Protect me, Maria! Don't let this siren cast her spell. Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone. Destroy Xion, and let her taste the fires of Hell, or else let her be mine and mine alone!_"

In the midst of his singing, a guard pounded on the door, causing the room to return to normal. He entered.

"Minister Xemnas, the gypsy has escaped," he reported.

"What!"

"She's nowhere in the Clock Tower. She's gone."

"But how, and … never mind. Get out, you idiot!" The guard left as Xemnas continued to mutter to himself. "I'll find her. I'll find her if I have to burn down all of Twilight Town!"

"_Hellfire, dark fire. Now gypsy it's your turn! Choose me or your pyre. Be mine, or you will burn!"_ He threw the handkerchief into the fire, and watched as it burned. Then he backed up against the wall, a hand at his chest. "_God have mercy on her. God have mercy on me. But she will be mine, or she will burn!"_ He collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

* * *

**(A/N: I apologize for the shortness of the chapter. But it just seemed meant to be cut there. ;D**

**Just to remind you lovely people, this IS RokuShi, not AkuShi or AkuRoku. Sowwy, but it is.**

**...You guys do know I write this Author Note before the top one, right?**

**Xemnas: R+R or you too will burn.**

***Cough. NOT. *Cough.)**


	9. Search for Xion

**(A/N: HEEEEY! I bet you're wondering waz up (or not). Well, you see, my English teacher is awful and has made me hate not only writing but fan fiction itself. So you get a short chapter until I like it again. Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 9: Search for Xion

It was a beautiful morning in Twilight Town. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Xemnas was exiting his carriage. Waiting for him was Axel.

"Attention!" Axel commanded the guards. To Xemnas, he said, "Good morning, sir."

The Judge moaned in response.

"Are you … feeling all right?"

"I had a … little trouble with the fireplace."

"I see." _Well, he's not the only one._ "Your orders, sir?"

"Find the gypsy girl."

The troops ransacked a home, eventually finding a group of gypsies hidden in a trap door. The gypsies were lined up outside, with Xemnas looking down at them.

"Ten pieces of silver for the gypsy Xion." He shoved a handful of coins out, but there were no takers. "Grrr... Guards! Lock them up!"

Xemnas' men pushed a carriage into the Seine. As it began to sink, gypsies came floating to the surface. Once again, they were lined up, with Xemnas surveying them.

"Twenty pieces of silver for the gypsy Xion!" Again, no takers. "Take them away!"

Xemnas, Axel, and their men went to a house with a large windmill. The guards had found gypsies there. The miller, a tall man with long brown hair and ocean blue eyes, was being interrogated by Xemnas.

"We found this gypsy talisman on your property. Have you been harboring gypsies?"

"Our home is always open to the weary traveler. Have mercy, my lord."

"I am placing you and your family under house arrest until I get to the bottom of this. If what you say is true, you are innocent and you have nothing to fear."

"But we are innocent. I assure you! We know nothing of these gypsies!"

Xemnas pulled their door shut, then barred it with a guard's staff. He turned to Axel.

"Burn it."

"What!"

"Until it smolders. These people are traitors and must be made examples of." He handed Axel a torch.

"With all due respect, sir, I was not trained to murder the innocent."

"But you were trained to follow orders," Xemnas shot back.

Axel took the torch, walked over to the house, then doused it in a bucket of water next to the house. He glared pointedly at Xemnas.

"Insolent coward."

Xemnas grabbed another torch and touched the flame to the windmill. The entire structure was quickly engulfed in flame. Axel crashed through the window and brought the family outside to safety.

"Thank you so much," said the miller's wife, a blue-haired woman with sky blue eyes.

As the building continued to burn, the guards grabbed Axel.

"The sentence for insubordination is death," said Xemnas. "Such a pity... you threw away a promising career."

"Consider it my highest honor, sir."

Xemnas raised a spear and was about to kill him, when Axel kicked the Judge's horse. The horse bucked, and Xemnas was thrown off. Axel escaped the guards, hopped on Xemnas' horse, and was off.

"Hit him!" Xemnas cried. "And don't hit my horse!"

As Axel rode off, he was showered with arrows. One of them went through his shoulder **(and through the magic of Disney it pierced his armor)**, and he fell off the horse, off the bridge that he was riding over, and into the river. A volley of arrows followed him in. Xion, who had witnessed the entire spectacle in disguise, gasped.

"Don't waste your arrows," the Judge commanded. "Let the traitor rot in his watery grave! Find the girl! If you have to burn the city to the ground, so be it!"

Xion ran down the hill to the river, keeping under cover. She waded into the water, then dove under. She came back up with the unconscious Axel. She pulled him out of the water with much difficulty. _I have to get some help_, she thought.

* * *

**(A/N: I'm going to apologize for two short chapters in a row now. I'm sowwy! Blame the English teachers, they are evil!**

**Cookies to those who guess who the miller and his wife are (It's pretty obvious, I think)**

**R+R!)**


	10. A Guy Like You

**(A/N: Hey people of the wide wide world! I is back! And it's longer! Yay!**

**Disclaimer: … I think Beyblade owns Marluxia. There's a dude that looks/ acts JUST LIKE HIM! LOL! I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney... Dumb bombs won't get shipped in fast enough... Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 10: A Guy Like You

The great starting day was ruined. Twilight Town burned, flames everywhere. All by the orders of Judge Xemnas, in a search for the gypsy Xion. At the moment, he was being approached by a guard.

"Sir! We've looked everywhere, and still no sign of the gypsy girl."

"I had the entire Clock Tower surrounded, guards at every door," Xemnas mumbled to himself. "There was no way she could have escaped... unless..." He looked up to the Clock Tower's Bell Tower, and Roxas' home.

Meanwhile, in the Tower, the 'goyles were talking.

"Oh, it doesn't look good," said Olette, observing the fire that was now Twilight Town.

"It's hopeless. Absolutely hopeless," Pence agreed next to her.

Near them, Hayner was playing cards with a pigeon. "You're telling me! I'm losing to a bird!" He threw down his cards, annoyed.

"Oh, that poor gypsy girl. I'm beginning to fear the worst," said Pence.

"I know, but, now, don't you say anything to upset Roxas. He's worried enough already," warned Olette.

"Yeah, you're right. We'd better lighten up," Hayner admitted.

"Shh, shh, shh! Here he comes!" cried Pence.

"Now just stay calm," Olette ordered.

"Not a word," said Pence.

"Easy does it," Hayner said.

"Stone faced."

Roxas joined them, worriedly looking over the balcony. "Any sign of her?"

Pence, next to him, bit his lip, trying to keep his composure, but he quickly lost it. "Oh, it's a lost cause! She could be anywhere! In the stocks, in the dungeon, on the rack!" He began to cry.

"Nice work, Pence," said Olette sarcastically.

"No, he's right. What are we going to do?" asked Roxas.

"What are you guys talking about?" questioned Hayner. "If I know Xion," He showed a Queen from his deck of cards in his hand. "She's three," He showed a 3. "...Steps ahead of Xemnas," He showed a Joker. "...And well out of harm's way!"

"Do you really think so?" Roxas asked.

"Hey, when things cool off, she'll be back. You'll see."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because she likes you," said Olette. "We always said you were the cute one."

"I thought I was the cute one!" Hayner cried as he stuffed himself with crackers.

"No, you're the fat, stupid one with the big mouth!"

"...What are you saying, exactly?" he asked, mouth still full.

"Take it from us, Roxas. You've got nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, you're irresistible!" said Hayner.

"Knights in shining armor certainly aren't her type," pointed out Pence.

"And those guys are a dime a dozen," Hayner said. "But you? You're one of a kind. Look...

"_Twilight Town, the city of lovers is glowing this evening... True, that's because it's on fire, but still, there's l'amour. Somewhere out there in the night, her heart is also alight. And I know the guy she just might be burning for... A guy like you, she's never known, kid. A guy like you a girl does not meet every day! You've got a look that's all your own, kid. Could there be two?"_

"_Like you?_" sang Olette and Pence.

"_No way!"_

"_Those other guys that she could dangle, all look the same from every boring point of view. You're a surprise from every angle. Mon dieu above, she's gotta love a guy like you!"_

"_A guy like you,"_ sang Pence. "_Gets extra credit. Because, it's true, you've got … a … certain something more!_"

"You're aces, kid!" said Hayner.

"_You see that face,_" Olette sang. "_You don't forget it!"_

_ "Want something new?"_

_ "_That's you!" stated Hayner.

"_For sure!"_

_ "We all have gaped at some Adonis," _sang Olette.

"_But then we crave a meal more nourishing to cheeeEEEwww!" _**(Pence can not sing. Or hit high notes. XD)**

"_And since you're shaped like a croissant is,"_ sang Hayner, holding up said object and comparing it to Roxas.

"_No question of she's gotta love a guy like you!"_

Suddenly a piano popped out of nowhere, with Pence playing it and Olette sitting on top of it.

"_Call me a hopeless romantic, but Roxas, I feel it!"_ sang/said Olette.

"_She wants you so, any moment she'll walk through that door..."_

Hayner came through the door dressed as Xion. "_Fooooorrr..._

_ "A guy so swell..."_

_ "A guy like you!" _sang Olette and Pence.

"_With all you bring her..."_

_ "I tell you, Roxas..."_

_ "A fool could tell,"_

_ "There never was..."_

_ "It's why she fell..."_

_ "Another, was he?"_

_ "For you know whoooooo!"_ Hayner sang.

"_From King to Serf to the Bourgeoisie..."_

_ "You ring the bell..."_

_ "They're all a second stringer..."_

_ "You're the bell ringer!_" they sang together. "_When she wants Ooh-la-la! Then she wants You-la-la! She will discover, guy; you're one heck of a guy! Who wouldn't love a guy like you?"_

_ "You got a lot, the rest have not, so she's gotta love a guy like you!"_ finished Hayner. Just as he finished the song, Xion burst through the door. The goyles immediately turned back to stone.

"Roxas? Roxas!" she called.

"Xion? Xion! You're all right! I knew you'd come back!" He ran up to her, but refrained himself from giving her a hug.

"You've done so much for me already, my friend, but I must ask your help one more time."

"Yes, anything!"

She turned and brought in the unconscious body of Axel. "This is Axel. He's wounded, and a fugitive like me. He can't go on much longer. I knew he'd be safe here. Please, can you hide him?"

Roxas hesitated. It was the soldier from before, who had tried to find her... He was really her friend? How good of friends, then? "...This way."

They brought Axel down on Roxas' bed. The man moaned gently and came to.

"Xion?"

"Shh! You'll hide here until you're strong enough to move." She pulled out a flask of alcohol.

"Great. I could use a drink."

Instead, she poured it on his wound, and he cried out in pain. "Ah, yes! Hmmm! … Feels like a 1470 burgundy. … Not a good year."

"That family owes you their lives. You're either the single bravest soldier I've ever seen, or the craziest."

"Ex-soldier, remember?" He was cut off as she began sewing his wound. "Urg. Why is it, whenever we meet, I end up bleeding?"

Xion finished up the sewing, ignoring him, and stood up. "You should get some rest."

Ven, looking out the window, began to bleat excitedly. Roxas rushed to join him. He turned to Xion. "Xemnas' coming. You must leave. Quick, follow me! Go down the south tower's steps."

"Be careful, my friend," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder gently, which sent electricity shooting down his spine. "Promise you won't let anything happen to him as well."

"I promise," he said. _I won't let her down, even if I hate the guy._

"Thank you." She quickly kissed his cheek and left with Ventus. The goyles came back to life again.

"Quick, we gotta stash the stiff!" Olette said.

They hurriedly dragged Axel's body off the bed and underneath the table with Roxas' models on it. He quickly tried to set his models straight as Xemnas entered.

"Oh, master," he said, feigning surprise. "I didn't think you'd be coming-"

"I'm never too busy to share a meal with you, dear boy. I brought a little treat." After a moment of silence, he slightly cleared his throat, and Roxas realized he hadn't set the table. He rushed off to grab the dishes, and was obviously flustered, dropping and breaking things.

"Is there … something troubling you, Roxas?"

"No. No!" he said as he set up the plates and cups.

"Oh, but there is. I know there is." He pulled out a bunch of grapes. One fell to the floor, near Axel. The blonde cautiously picked it up.

"I think … you're hiding something."

"Oh, no, master. There's nothing-"

"You're not eating, boy," Xemnas said, interrupting him. He quickly gobbled a handful of grapes.

Mumbling through the food, he said, "It's very good. Thank you." Axel then started to moan. Roxas moaned similarly, indicating he enjoyed the food. Axel sighed louder. Roxas kicked him, knocking him out, then pretended to cough to cover up the noise. "Seeds," he said to offer as an explanation.

Xemnas started looking at the models. "What's different in here?"

"Nothing, sir."

"Isn't this one new?" He picked up the Xion figure. "It's awfully good. Looks very much like the gypsy girl. I know..." A nasty look crept across his face as his voice rose. "You helped her escape!"

"But I-"

"And now, all Twilight Town is burning because of you!"

"She was kind to me, master."

Xemnas smashed the table and its setting. "You idiot! That wasn't kindness, it was cunning! She's a gypsy! Gypsies are not capable of real love! Think, boy! Think of your mother!" He took a moment to recompose himself. "But what chance could a poor, misshapen child like you have against her heathen treachery? Well, never you mind, Roxas. She will be out of our lives soon enough. I will free you from her evil spell. She will torment you no longer."

"What do you mean?"

"I know where her hideout is, and tomorrow, at dawn, I attack with a thousand men." He left.

Axel, now awake, got up from underneath the table. "We have to find the Court of Miracles, before daybreak. If Xemnas gets there first … are you coming with me?"

"I can't," he sighed.

"I thought you were Xion's friend!"

"Xemnas is my master. I can't disobey him again."

"She stood up for you! You've got a funny way of showing gratitude." He paused while Roxas turned away. "Well, I'm not going to sit by and watch Xemnas massacre innocent people. You do what you think is right." He turned and left.

Roxas saw the goyles staring at him expectantly. "Look. What am I supposed to do? Go out there and rescue the girl from the jaws of death, and the whole town will cheer like I'm some sort of hero? I'm no knight in shining armor. There's no way she could like me." He sighed. "Xemnas was right. Xemnas was right about everything. I'm tired of trying to be something I'm not."

Olette didn't speak, but handed him a coat. Roxas stared at it for a moment before grabbing it and rushing off. "I must be out of my mind!"

At ground level, Axel was exiting the Clock Tower. No sooner had he opened the door, than Roxas popped out upside down from the roof.

"Axel!"

"Ahhh!"

"I'm coming with you!"

"I'm glad you changed your mind."

"I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for her."

"You know where she is?" Axel asked.

"No, but she said this would help us find her." He pulled out the talisman and handed it to Axel.

"Good, good, good! Ahh! Great!" He examined it. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure."

"Hmm. Must be some sort of code. Maybe it's Arabic. No, no, it's not Arabic. Maybe it's ancient Greek..."

"When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand," whispered Roxas to himself.

"What?"

"It's the city!" Roxas realized.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's a map!" He pointed to the center. "See, here's the Clock Tower, and the river, and this little-"

"I've never seen map that looks like this and-"

They started talking at once. "Look, I've been up on the Clock Tower for fifteen years, so I think I know what the city looks like from above, and this is it!" Roxas said.

"-and this is not it!" Axel finished at the same time.

They both breathed deeply, then Axel gave in. "All right, okay. You say it's a map, fine, it's a map. If we're going to find Xion, we have to work together. Truce?" He slapped Roxas on the back friendly.

"Well … okay." He slapped Axel back, a bit harder than he meant to... maybe. Axel winced from the pain as they started off.

"...Sorry," Roxas apologized.

"No you're not."

* * *

**(A/N: So? Watcha think? WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END! I don't know if I should be happy or sad...**

**Please, Please, PLEASE don't let Pence sing. Please. For the sake of all our eardrums. ;D**

**Olette: R+R!)**


	11. The Court of Miracles

**(A/N: Well, I is back! Sorta long chapter... sorta...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney, since I'm too busy burning paper factories right now. XD Enjoy!)**

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 11: The Court of Miracles

The map lead them to a graveyard. They approached a central grave, with a symbol on it.

"This looks like the symbol on the map," said Axel, observing it.

"But what does it mean?" asked Roxas.

"Hmm. I'm not sure. I can make out an inscription, but it's going to take a few minutes to translate it. Now let's see-"

As he mumbled to himself, Roxas pushed the lid off the grave, revealing a staircase going down.

"...Yes, well, or we could just go down those stairs."

* * *

They ended up in a partially flooded chamber, lined with skeletons. While they walked through, Roxas asked, "Is this the Court of Miracles?" He was confused. It didn't seem at all as good as Xion made it out to be.

"Offhand, I'd say it's the Court of Ankle Deep Sewage. Must be the old catacombs."

As they proceeded, they failed to notice three of the skeletons rising behind them.

"Cheerful place," Axel said sarcastically. "Kinda makes you wish you got out more often, eh Roxas?"

"Not me. I just want to warn Xion and get back to the Clock Tower. I don't want to get in any more trouble."

"Speaking of trouble, we should have run in to some by now."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, a guard, a booby trap..." He trailed off as their torch blew out, leaving them in darkness. "...or an ambush."

Suddenly, the chamber was fully lit, and they were surrounded by skeletons. They forced them to their knees in front of a now unmasked Sora.

"Well, well, well! What have we here?" asked Sora, amused.

"Trespassers!" cried a skeleton.

"Spies!" called another.

"We are not spies!" argued Axel.

"Can't you listen-" The two were gagged, cutting Roxas off.

"Don't interrupt me! You're very clever to have found our hideaway. Unfortunately, you won't live to tell the tale!" He smirked as he played with a dagger.

* * *

They were led into a complete underground town, teeming with gypsies.

"_Maybe you've heard of a terrible place, where the scoundrels of Twilight Town collect in a lair. Maybe you've heard of that mythical place called the Court of Miracles..."_

"Hello, you're there!" said Sora.

"_Where the lame can walk. And the blind can see."_

_ "But the dead don't talk!_" Sora sang.

"_So you won't be around to reveal what you've found!"_

_ "We have a method for spies and intruders, rather like hornets protecting their hive."_

_ "Here in the Court of Miracles!"_

_ "Where it's a miracle if you get out alive!"_

Roxas and Axel were taken up to a platform, where nooses were placed around their necks. "Gather around, everybody!" Sora called. "There's good 'noose' tonight!"

The gypsies laughed.

"It's a double header, a couple of Xemnas' spies!"

"Boo!"

"And not just any spies! His captain of the guard," He saluted mockingly. "And his loyal, bell ringing henchman!" He bent over and acted misshapen.

"_Justice is swift in the Court of Miracles! I am the lawyers and judge, all in one! We like to get the trial over with quickly, because it's the sentence that's really the fun!"_

Sora was about to pull the handle to drop the floor out from underneath them. "Any last words?" The two mumbled panickly through their gags. "That's what they all say!" he said, rolling his eyes.

"_Now that we've seen all the evidence-"_

He was interrupted by his small puppet. "Wait! I object!"

"Overruled!" he yelled at the puppet.

"I object!" it cried out again.

"QUIET!" He smacked it.

"...Dang."

Recomposing himself, he went over to the 'guilty' parties. "_We find you totally innocent... Which is the worst crime of all!_" he sang sadly, patting them. Then he grinned evilly and scampered back to the handle.

"_So you're going to hang!" _Sora started to pull the handle, but stopped at Xion's shout.

"Stop!"

"Xion!" Axel and Roxas cried, though it was muffled.

"These men aren't spies... They're our friends!" She rushed over and removed the nooses and gags.

"Why didn't they say so!" Sora asked.

"We did say so!" they retorted.

Xion pointed at Axel. "This is the soldier that saved the miller's family," She pointed now at Roxas, "And Roxas helped me escape the Clock Tower."

Axel stepped up and shouted to the crowd. "We came to warn you! Xemnas is coming!" The crowd gasped. "He says he knows where you're hiding, and he's attacking at dawn with a thousand men!"

"Then let's waste no time! We must leave immediately!" Xion commanded. The gypsies began running everywhere, beginning to pack up.

Xion moved closer to Roxas. "You took a terrible risk coming here. It may not exactly show, but we're grateful." She pecked his cheek, and his face heated up again.

Axel cleared his throat. "Hey, I'm here too," he joked.

"Oh, ...yes! Thank you, Axel! We're very thankful that you came... How did you find this place, anyway?"

"Thank Roxas," he said, slapping the boy on the back. "Without his help, I would never have found my way here."

"Nor would I!"

The three turned around quickly to see Xemnas and his men appearing in the doorway. Soldiers surrounded the people and took the gypsies into custody.

"After twenty years of searching, the Court of Miracles is mine at last!" He gazed around the room, proud of himself. Then he turned to Roxas. "Dear Roxas, I always knew you would someday be of use to me."

"What are you talking about?" Xion snarled, held back by two guards. Another guard held a struggling Ventus.

The Judge looked at her. "Why, he led me right to you, my dear."

"You're a liar!" she spat.

"And look what else I've caught in my net," he continued, ignoring her and walking up to Axel. "Captain Axel, back from the dead." The redhead glared at him. "Another miracle, no doubt." He leaned closer to him. "I shall remedy that."

To the rest of the gypsies, he said, "There will be a little bonfire in the square tomorrow, and you're all invited to attend!" Then he turned to the guards. "Lock them up."

"No, please, Master!" Roxas cried, grabbing the hem of Xemnas' cloak and falling on his knees.

"Take him back to the Clock Tower, and make sure he stays there," he told a guard.

"Please..." Roxas whispered, tears falling down his chin. "Please..."

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**(A/N: Hope you liked! … I have... nothing more to say...**

**Sora: R+R!)**


	12. Sanctuary

**(A/N: Okay, okay, I know: Another short chapter. But believe me, the next one is SUPER long! So just wait a bit, alright?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney yet. I am in the process of turning KH characters to my side... :D Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 12: Sanctuary

The next morning, a huge crowd gathered to watch the burning of Xion, who was on a pyre, Xemnas standing next to her. The gypsies watched in fear from cages. As Mickey came out from the Clock Tower to see what was happening, guards blocked him off.

"Hey!" he cried.

"The prisoner Xion has been found guilty of the crime of witchcraft. The sentence: death!" announced Xemnas from the platform. Cheers went up from the crowd as the gypsies booed. Xemnas leaned close to Xion. "The time has come, gypsy. You stand upon the brink of the abyss. Yet even now, it is not too late. I can save you from the flames of this world, and the next. Choose me, or the fire."

With no hesitation, Xion spat in his face, glaring at him.

Turning back to the crowd after he glared at her, Xemnas said, "The gypsy Xion has refused to recant. This evil witch has put the souls of every citizen of Twilight Town in mortal danger..."

Meanwhile, on top of the Clock Tower, a chained Roxas was watching Xion's doom sadly. The goyles were desperately pulling on the chains, trying to free him.

"Come on, Roxas! Snap out of it!" said Hayner, gnawing on one of the chains with his teeth.

"Your friends are down there!" Pence said.

"It's all my fault..." mumbled Roxas, tears still falling down his face.

"You gotta break these chains!" cried Olette.

"I can't. I tried. What difference would it make?"

"But you can't let Xemnas win!" Pence argued.

"He already has."

"So, you're giving up? That's it?" Hayner asked, pausing in his chewing.

"These chains aren't what's holding you back, Roxas," Olette said.

"Leave me alone."

They were about to object, but finally gave up, and moved away.

"Okay. Okay, Roxas, we'll leave you alone," sighed Hayner.

"After all, we're only made of stone," said Pence. Both he and Hayner returned to their stone state.

"We just thought maybe you were made of something stronger..." Olette muttered, turning to stone as well.

Roxas looked down and saw Xion below, about to be burned at the stake. He began to pull weakly at the chains.

"...for justice, for Twilight Town, and for her own salvation!" Xemnas was continuing. "It is my shameful duty to send this poor girl back where she belongs!" He touched the torch to the pyre, starting the fire.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Roxas yelled. He began to pull harder and harder. Strength poured through him. The bells started to quietly ring as he shook the very building, ripping out pillars of stone. Finally, he was freed. He raced off and grabbed a rope. Leaping off the edge of the Clock Tower, he lassoed a gargoyle and rappelled down the side of the building. When he was close enough, he jumped off, flew out over the crowd, and landed on the platform. He quickly broke Xion's ropes and lifted her up. The pony-tailed guard, the muscled guard, and the dreadlock guard came at him, but he grabbed a torch and swung it at them, scaring them off. He took the rope and climbed back to the top of the building.

"Roxas!" Xemnas shouted, anger blazing in his eyes.

The blonde reached the top of the building and stood in front of the giant clock. He held Xion's limp body high above his head, then, as the crowd cheered, yelled:

_**"Sanctuary! Sanctuary! Sanctuary!"**_

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**(A/N: Hope you liked!**

**Pence: R+R!)**


	13. The Epic Battle

**(A/N: Second to last chapter peeps! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I think we know by now if I own Disney and Kingdom Hearts or not.)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 13: The Epic Battle

Xemnas was not pleased. "Captain Xigbar!"

The ponytailed guard, now captain and known as Xigbar, approached. "Sir?"

"Seize the Clock Tower!"

Meanwhile, at the top of the Clock Tower, Roxas brought the still unconscious Xion into the bedroom. He lied her down on the bed gently.

"Don't worry. You'll be safe here," he told her.

He then leapt down, grabbed a beam of wood, and threw it at the advancing soldiers on the ground. They scurried like ants.

"Come back, you cowards!" Xemnas yelled at the fleeing guards, to no avail. He turned to the guards at Axel's cage. "You men! Pick up that beam! Break down the door!" The men obliged Xemnas, leaving only a mullet-haired one behind. Axel grabbed him around the neck from inside the cage.

"Alone at last!" he said, smirking. He bonked the guard on the head, and as the man fell to the ground, he grabbed the keys to the lock. The guards, meanwhile, had begun battering the door. Axel unlocked himself, then leapt on top of the cage.

"Citizens of Twilight Town!" he yelled. "Xemnas has persecuted our people, ransacked our city! Now he has declared war on the Clock Tower herself! Will we allow it?"

"No!" the crowd shouted. As the crowd began to break loose the gypsies, the guards continue their assault. Soon, the crowd swarmed around the door.

"I think the cavalry's here!" cheered Hayner.

Pence looked down and spotted Axel. "Hey! Isn't that-"

"Feeble!" cried Hayner.

"Doofus!" Olette said.

"Axel!" Roxas called.

The crowd continued to fight. Roxas kept on dropping things on the advancing troops. Pence dropped a small brick, closing his eyes at his violent act, and it landed square on the dreadlock guard's head.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Pence apologized.

Hayner threw a rock in his mouth, chomped it up, flew around like a bomber, and ended up on the ledge. He began spitting out pebbles like a machine gun, forcing the guards to scatter again.

Meanwhile, Xemnas was supervising the guards at the door, who were using the wooden beam to break down the door.

"Harder!" commanded Xigbar.

As the fighting continued, a guard with long blonde hair broke off the stockade the old man Riku had been in.

"I'm free! I'm free!" he shouted. Then he stepped into a hole labeled 'Mon Sewer'.

"...Dang it!" came his call from the hole.

Back at the Clock Tower, a grappling hook reached Roxas. He grabbed it, then pulled the rope tight. Three guards smashed into the building. Pence and Hayner, near Roxas, were finishing building a catapult.

"Ready... aim... fire!" cried Pence. They pushed the catapult off the ledge, sending it crashing to the ground. Soldiers scattered as it hit.

"Are you sure that's how it works?" Pence asked, looking at Hayner.

The catapult, upside down, sprung, sending the cart bottom on top of some soldiers.

"Works for me!" Hayner said.

Axel and Xigbar were fighting, and once again, Xigbar ended up behind Vanitas.

"Vanitas! Sit!" Axel commanded.

The horse obeyed, plopping his rear on Xigbar's head. Again.

Olette was sending the birds to attack. Their bodies covered the sky. "Fly, my pretties! Fly! Fly!" she laughed.

The guards were continuing to work on the door.

"Put your backs into it!" the muscled guard demanded.

Meanwhile, Pence was using Hayner as a bellows to warm up the fire on the lead pot. Roxas attached a rope to it, then dumped it over, sending fire pouring out of the Tower and onto the fleeing guards below. The guards battering the door ran, but Xemnas managed to get inside the Clock Tower safely. As he did, Mickey ran up to him.

"Xemnas, have you gone mad? I will not tolerate this assault on the house of God!" **(A/N: I think Mickey's the one who's gone mad. A CLOCK TOWER'S NOT THE HOUSE OF GOD, MICKEY!)**

Xemnas shoved Mickey to the ground. "Silence, you old fool! The hunchback and I have unfinished business to attend to. And this time, you will not interfere." Mickey's eyes widened as the Judge closed the door and locked it from the inside.

Upstairs, Roxas burst into the bedroom jubilantly. "We've done it, Xion! We've beaten them back! Come and see!"

She didn't move.

"Xion?" He came up to her and examined her position. "...Oh, no!" He got a spoonful of water, and tried to make her drink it. She didn't, and the liquid fell off her chin.

"Oh no." Roxas started to cry as Xemnas entered and touched Roxas on his hump. Upon feeling his hand, he said, "You killed her." Anger filled his voice.

"It was my duty, horrible as it was," Xemnas said sadly. "I hope you can forgive me. There, there, Roxas, I know it hurts. But now, the time has come to end your suffering." He pulled a dagger from behind him. As he raised it to stab the hunchback, Roxas saw the shadow of the dagger. He turned and struggled with Xemnas only briefly, before wrestling the dagger from his hands and backing him into a corner.

"Now, now... listen to me, Roxas-" the Judge said carefully, panic filling him.

"No, you listen! All my life you have told me the world is a dark, cruel place. But now, I see that the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like you!" He threw away the dagger.

"R-Roxas?"

The blonde turned and saw Xion sitting on the bed. "Xion!" he said happily, running and hugging her.

"She lives!" Xemnas said. He grabbed a sword.

"No!" Roxas cried, holding her tightly. He grabbed Xion and ran out onto the balcony. Xemnas followed, but when he got outside, he saw nothing but gargoyles. After looking left and right, he looked out over the edge and found Roxas hanging there with Xion in his arms.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked, swinging his sword, but Roxas dodged the blow by swinging to another spot. Down on the ground, the guards stop to watch.

"Up there!" pointed the mullet-haired one, now awake.

Xemnas went to swing again. "Hang on!" Roxas told Xion. He swung off again, just narrowly missing Xemnas' sword. Finally, the man got the blonde cornered.

"I should have known you'd risk your life to save that gypsy witch. Just as your own mother died trying to save you."

"What!"

"Now I'm going to do what I should have done fifteen years ago!" He swung his cape, covering Roxas' head. But as he tried to throw the blonde off the balcony, the panicking boy pulled Xemnas off as well. Now Xemnas was hanging onto Roxas, who was hanging onto a very weak Xion, struggling to hold both up. The Judge threw his cape around another gargoyle, and pulled himself over. He stood up and was about to swing his sword at Xion.

"And He shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!" he said, grinning at his victory. The gargoyle, however, began to crack. Xemnas was thrown off balance, and hung onto the gargoyle's head. Suddenly, the 'goyle came to life and roared. Xemnas screamed, and the now stone gargoyle broke off, sending Xemnas falling to his death.

Meanwhile, Xion was losing her grip on Roxas. "Roxas... Roxas!" He slipped loose and began to fall. Xion screamed.

_**"NOOOOOOOO!"**_

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**(A/N: :O What's this? A cliffhanger from me? What is this world coming to? XD Sorry, couldn't resist the cliffy, since it seemed meant for it. Even as much as I hate them, they are needed.**

**Yay! Vani gets another spotlight! ^^**

**Two New Guards! Do ya know em? ;)**

** Demyx: R+R!)**


	14. The End

**(A/N: Last chapter, guys! Hope you enjoyed the story so far! Wow, 14 chapters, and that wasn't even on purpose! ^^**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney, as hard as that is to believe. XD Enjoy!)**

* * *

**The Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town**

Chapter 14: The End

Roxas fell right along the building, trying to grab a ledge, but to no avail. Luckily, he was close enough for Axel to catch him several floors below and pull him back into the building. When Roxas saw who caught him, he gave him a hug.

"Thanks," he said.

"No problem," Axel responded, grinning at him.

Xion came running in, and immediately hugged Roxas. "I thought you were gone forever," she said.

Roxas looked past her at Axel, who made kissing faces and motioned at him to do so. Roxas turned to Xion, who smiled at him, tears running down her face. He brushed them away with his thumb and smiled back.

"Xion, I... Well, I... That is..." he stuttered.

"Kiss her already!" Axel shouted, annoyed. Xion laughed and Roxas, a bit red, pressed his lips to hers. She grinned at him, then rubbed his nose with her own. In the background, Axel was humping the air while Ven seemed to be laughing at him. Ignoring them, Roxas pecked her lips again.

"I love you, Xion."

"I love you too, Roxas."

* * *

When they reached the bottom of the Clock Tower, Xion and Axel emerged into the outdoors. As the crowd cheered, Xion turned back to the open doorway. She grabbed Roxas' hand and lead him out. The crowd went silent. Soon, a little girl with short, red hair and ocean blue eyes cautiously came forward from the crowd. She looked at him, then gave him a hug. The crowd started to cheer again. As he moved into the crowd, they didn't move away as before. Above, the 'goyles were breaking out the champagne.

"Three cheers for Roxas!" cried Sora. The crowd broke into loud cheering.

"_So... Here is a riddle you never can guess, sing the bells of Twilight Town! What makes a monster, and what makes a man? Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells... Whatever their pitch, you can hear them bewitch you, the rich and the ritual knells, of the Bells of Twilight Town!_"

Roxas and Xion kissed once again, in front of a cheering crowd. Ven walked up to Vanitas and sniffed him warily, before butting him playfully. The horse just rolled his eyes and ignored the goat bumping his hind leg. Axel was being congratulated by random people when a certain blonde woman caught his eye. He followed her quickly.

"Helloooo, beautiful!" he said, approaching her, only to get punched in the face. "Feisty... I like it!" He grinned.

The gargoyles looked over the town. Hayner and Pence were jumping up and down, cheering, as Olette watched. Birds once again covered her, when she waved them off violently.

"Don't you ever migrate?"

The citizens of Twilight Town would never forget their heroes: Axel, the former Captain of the Guard, Xion, the rebel gypsy, and none other than Roxas, the Hunchback Nobody of Twilight Town.

**The End.**

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**(A/N: Okay, I gotta admit, I was close to tears as I wrote this. Could be the fact I'm listening to depressing songs, but it's probably because this is the end. :'( I really enjoyed writing this story and I'm so thankful to those of you who reviewed, favorited, alerted, and read. **

**Kairi gets ONE moment in this story, at the VERY LAST CHAPTER! XD I'm too mean... :D**

**Until next time, Shadow out.**

**Roxas: R+R!)**


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